


Dawn (Go Away)

by politics_and_prose



Category: Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Based on a song, F/M, angst maybe, katherine is a strong woman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-14
Updated: 2019-05-14
Packaged: 2020-03-04 20:42:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18820342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/politics_and_prose/pseuds/politics_and_prose
Summary: Katherine’s hackles raised as how much control he was asserting over what her life would be like.  Nellie Bly didn’t let any man tell her no when she wanted something and she was Katherine’s most prominent role model.  She wanted to fight Jack, convince him that he was wrong, that they could figure it out, but she knew it would do no good.





	Dawn (Go Away)

**Author's Note:**

> Based very loosely on Dawn (Go Away) by The Four Seasons.

“Jack, this is ridiculous,” Katherine said with a huff, her hands moving to her hips in defiance and anger. She had absolutely no idea what brought on their current conversation but she was certain it couldn’t have been anything good.

They’d been sitting in the box they’d officially met in whilst at Medda’s theater, eating some popcorn and generally enjoying each other’s company, when Jack had blurted out that they shouldn’t see each other anymore. It had come as such a shock that Katherine had just laughed and knocked her shoulder against his.

“I’m serious, Ace. It’s – it ain’t gonna work out,” he’d said, brow furrowed with concentration. It made her think he was probably trying to follow some kind of script. Angrily, she’d wondered if one of his friends had put him up to this, someone who might be jealous of all the time they were spending together, but she’d dismissed it quickly. 

David wouldn’t do that to her.

Jack had gone on to explain that there was just no way a guy who grew up like him could be good for a girl who grew up like her. She’d blanked out when he started shooting words like _poor_ and _better_ and _good-for-nothing_ around, unable to follow him.

It wasn’t until he’d said, “I know you and Bill would be a better match,” that she came back to herself and remarked on how ridiculous this entire conversation had been.

“Don’t call me ridiculous!” Jack shot back hotly, shoulders rising with tension. “It’s _true_.”

“It’s not,” Katherine told him, her voice low. “Jack, it’s not true. We’re good together. _You and me_ , not me and Bill.” She put the popcorn down on the floor and reached for his hands, frowning when he withdrew quickly. “Jack.”

“You and Bill make sense,” he said, completely ignoring her statement. “Or you an’ Darcy but I kind think he’s a little … _different_.”

“Jack,” she chided with a frown, “don’t say things like that.”

He just shrugged. “S’true. All’a it is.”

“It’s _not_ ,” she insisted, fighting back tears of frustration. Katherine couldn’t understand why he was saying things like this. Just a couple of days ago, he’d held her hand as they walked through the park. He’d kissed her cheek, grinning as he said they “was doin’ things proper” this time. She’d assumed that meant he was willing to court her the way grown ups did.

Katherine hadn’t considered that “doing things proper” would lead to a break up.

“You don’t get it, do ya?” he asked, standing and starting to pace in the small box. “You’re a _Pulitzer_.”

“I was a Pulitzer when you kissed me in front of all of your friends after the strike,” she shot back, arms crossing over her chest. “And when-when we kissed on the fire escape after our fight. In fact, you didn’t kiss me until _after_ you knew I was a Pulitzer, so you’ll have to excuse me if I don’t take much stock in your new reluctance.”

Jack floundered for a moment and she took the time to gear up to continue the fight. Katherine had a sinking feeling that she wouldn’t be able to get him to see reason, so she changed her focus to finding out exactly why he was doing this at all.

Pushing aside the sick feeling that was swirling in her stomach, she went back to the thought she’d dismissed previously. “Did David convince you to do this?”

Jack froze as if he’d been slapped and she instantly felt bad for voicing the question. “Davey? What would he – why the hell would you think Dave had something to do with this? He didn’t. He – he told me I was bein’ an idiot.”

“You are,” she responded with a frown. “If it wasn’t Davey, was it one of your other friends? Race, maybe?” 

“The fellas don’t got no problem with ya,” Jack insisted. “Ain’t nothin’ to do with them.”

“Then who? Or what?” Katherine asked, not bothering to hide the desperation in her voice. “ _Tell me_ why this is happening, Jack. I don’t get it. You – you could have left for Santa Fe and you didn’t. You _stayed_. Why stay if not for – I mean, obviously for the boys but I thought – I thought I was part of your decision.”

“You were,” he replied softly. “But, uh, maybe I decided I should go after all.”

“All I’m hearing are lies and bad excuses, Jack. Look, I get it, this is over. If that’s what you want, it’s obvious I’m not going to change your mind,” she said, her voice thick with tears she would absolutely not allow to fall in the presence of this infuriating boy. “So please, just tell me the truth.”

Jack didn’t say anything, instead leaning heavily against the railing of the box, eyes focused on the stage and his back to her. Katherine wanted to grab him by the shirt and turn him around, make him look her in the eyes, but she couldn’t find the strength. Instead, she wiped under her own eyes to make sure the tears hadn’t slipped out without her permission.

When Jack turned around, his cheeks and nose were red but he wasn’t crying. “I’m pretty sure’a myself,” he said, instead of giving any kind of real answer. “An’, I mean, it wasn’t too hard to get ya to fall for me.” He smiled at the snort she involuntarily let out. “But we never stopped ta think about if ya should, if _we_ should.”

“It’s not about –“

“You wanted a explanation,” he reminded her. “I’m try’na give ya one." 

“Sorry,” she murmured, nodding at him to continue.

“I like ya a lot, Kath, you know that. Too much, maybe. When we was workin’ together, it just felt right. You’se so pretty, y’know? An’ smart. An’ independent. An’ all the stuff I said right here that first night. I couldn’a stayed away if I tried. I don’t even think I tried either way.”

“I don’t think you did either,” Katherine said with a smile. “I’m glad you didn’t.”

Jack smiled, just briefly, before he schooled his features again. “It shouldn’a happened, Kath. Just … think about it. Wi’ me, ya ain’t never gonna live in a nice place. We could both work every day’a our lives and still not be able to afford somethin’ as nice as you got now. An’ that’s just fine wi’ me, but I ain’t willin’ to put you through that.”

“I’m more than willing –“

“You ain’t never lived a day like me in ya life,” he interrupted. “And I’m damn happy about that.” Jack shook his head and began pacing again. “You think it’s just gonna be a little different but it ain’t. You ever gone weeks without a bath? Or more than a day without food? That’s what life with me could be like, Kath. An’ I ain’t willin’ to let you live like that if you don’t gotta.” 

Katherine’s hackles raised as how much control he was asserting over what her life would be like. Nellie Bly didn’t let any man tell her no when she wanted something and she was Katherine’s most prominent role model. She wanted to fight Jack, convince him that he was wrong, that they could figure it out, but she knew it would do no good.

Jack would never let her take care of him the way she was willing to. Be it some kind of masculinity issue or the fact that he’d always had to get by on his own, she knew in her heart that it would take him much longer than would be acceptable for him to allow her to be the breadwinner of their future family.

It hit her hard in the chest when she realized that perhaps he was right. Maybe this _couldn’t_ work out in the long run. Not because of his ridiculous reasons, but because they had two very different philosophies on life. Katherine had never wanted for anything and Jack had nothing but want. Want for a future, a roof over his head, a job that would allow him to work and help out his boys.

“Okay,” she said softly, nodding her head once. “I know I’m not going to change your mind and maybe I shouldn’t keep trying.” She stood and smoothed down her skirts. “I still think your argument is ridiculous,” Katherine told him seriously, making sure to look Jack in the eyes so he knew how serious she was. “But I’m going to respect your decision.”

“Thank you,” he whispered, his shoulders finally releasing the tension that had been built up for the entire conversation. “Thank you.”

Katherine could tell that he was relieved that their break up was over, and she could admit to herself that she was too, but she couldn’t let him walk away thinking everything was okay. “Hey, Jack?””

He paused on his way to the stairs, looking back to her with his head cocked to the side. “Yeah?”

“I won’t wait around forever,” she warned him, “and when you realize that this was ridiculous and you’re wrong, it won’t be easy to get me back.” 

Jack looked at her for a minute before giving her a half smile. “Wouldn’t expect anything less.” He lifted his cap in her direction, reminiscent of their first real encounter, and then he was gone.

Katherine stayed, breathing deeply to steady her pounding yet broken heart, for much longer. She was certain even if Medda or one of her employees found her, they wouldn’t mind if she took a few moments for herself.

Once she was certain Jack was long gone, Katherine stood, took a deep, cleansing breath, and descended the stairs, focused and determined to move on with her life.

**Author's Note:**

> Dawn (Go Away) [The Four Seasons]
> 
> Pretty as a midsummers morn, they call her Dawn
> 
> Dawn, go away I'm no good for you  
> Oh, Dawn, stay with him he'll be good to you  
> Hang on, Hang on to him
> 
> Think, what a big man he'll be  
> Think, all the places you'll see  
> Now think what the future would be  
> With a poor boy like me
> 
> Dawn go away, please go away  
> Although I know I want you to stay  
> Dawn go away, please go away  
> Baby don't cry, it's better this way
> 
> Oh Dawn go away, back where you belong  
> Girl we can't change the places  
> Where we were born  
> Before you say that you want me
> 
> I want you to think what your family would say  
> Think what you're throwing away  
> Now think what the future would be  
> With a poor boy like me  
> Repeat 5x Dawn, go away I'm no good for you


End file.
